Direct electoral system may be for the better Once a new, better system is adopted, leaders will be more
accountable to the public, says Teten Masduki of the Indonesian
Corruption Watch (ICW). Below is excerpts from an interview with
Teten conducted by The Jakarta Post's contributor I. More ...

MUI reviews 'halal' label for taste enhancer Ajinomoto JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) is reviewing
the halal certificate -- which states that food or beverages are
permitted to be eaten by Muslims -- of taste enhancer Ajinomoto
as it allegedly uses pig enzymes in its production ... More ...

Male corpse found in North Jakarta JAKARTA (JP): An unidentified male corpse was found on
Thursday in the Pantai Hijau area of Plumpang, Muara Karang in
North Jakarta.City police spokesman Supt. More ...

Twenty people injured in Idul Fitri brawl PURBALINGGA, Central Java (JP): At least 20 people were
wounded, five of them from gunshots, when some 1,000 people from
two villages in Purbalingga regency, were involved in a fierce
brawl on Thursday, the sixth in the last two years. More ...

I will serve my term: President Abdurrahman JAKARTA (JP): Despite mounting calls for his resignation,
President Abdurrahman Wahid said on Friday that he will serve his
term which ends in 2004. More ...

30,000 officers to be on New Year duty JAKARTA (JP): Greater Jakarta is to be protected by over
30,000 police officers during New Year celebrations, in the wake
of the Christmas Eve bomb blasts in major Indonesian cities,
including Jakarta, which left 16 dead.City police spokesman Supt. More ...

Electronics exports jump 81% this year JAKARTA (JP): Director general of metal, machinery,
electronics, and various other industries Agus Tjahajana said
that the country's electronics exports rose 81 percent this year
and was set to exceed textile in contributing to the country's
export earnings. More ...

Prequalification for parking announced JAKARTA (JP): The city administration announced last week that
four private parking operators passed the second phase of the
prequalification term of its partnership program. More ...

Gunungkidul had pre-historic pastBy Sri Wahyuni YOGYAKARTA (JP): An integrated archeological study of the
Gunungkidul area, conducted since 1998 in the Gunungbang hamlet,
some 50 kilometers east of Yogyakarta, indicates that the region
may have been the capital city of a pre-historic age. More ...

City Police to seize firecrackers on New Year's eve JAKARTA (JP): In an effort to establish peace and order in the
capital on New Year's eve, the City Police will conduct raids
against firecrackers, an officer said on Friday.City police spokesman Supt. More ...

Gaikindo conservative on 2001 car sales prediction JAKARTA (JP): Continued political uncertainties will likely
weigh on car sales in 2001, as consumers become more cautious in
making new purchases amid fears of social unrest, according to an
auto association executive. More ...

Bombing death toll rises to 17 BANDUNG (JP): Wawan Wahidin bin Engkos, whom police have
described as a key witness in the wave of Christmas eve bombings,
died here on Friday morning, raising the death toll in the bloody
Sunday assault on nine cities to 17. More ...

Focusing on Feng Shui phenomenon in IndonesiaBy Mauro Rahardjo BANDUNG (JP): For almost a decade, Feng Shui has been
extensively known across Indonesia. Indonesian people have
recently become aware of this ancient practice, and perceptions
of Feng Shui varies. More ...

Tommy Soeharto escaped arrest in E. Java: Gus Dur JAKARTA (JP): Fugitive Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, the
youngest son of former president Soeharto, slipped through the
fingers of police in a "small East Java town" two weeks ago,
President Abdurrahman Wahid claimed on Friday. More ...

Quakes jolt Palu, Donggala, Bengkulu PALU, Central Sulawesi: An earthquake measuring 5.2 on the
Richter Scale hit cities of Palu and Donggala in Central Sulawesi
in the early hours of Friday morning, but no casualties were
reported.The earthquake in Palu and Donggala occurred around 5 a.m. More ...

Fire razes two stores in Bandung BANDUNG: Fire razed two stores selling jeans on Jl. Pasar
Selatan here on Thursday afternoon, destroying all the
merchandise."Two explosions blasted away three metal doors of the stores
before fire ravaged the building," an eyewitness said later in
the day. More ...

Yogya's Kotagede silver industry faces slow regenerationBy Bambang Trisno and Anis Suryani YOGYAKARTA (JP): Silver craft has become the trademark of
Kotagede, a city located some five kilometers southeast of
Yogyakarta. More ...

No peace without justiceBy Elizabeth Collins PALEMBANG (JP): "No longer do we enjoy life/There's no bright
hope for tomorrow/Attacked by garbage, polluted air above/Our
land is now full of haunted villages. More ...

Culture of impunity detrimental to the economy This is an excerpt of an interview with Indonesia's noted
human rights lawyer Todung Mulya Lubis by The Jakarta Post's
Melbourne-based contributor Dewi Anggraeni, during Mulya's short
visit to Melbourne at the invitation of the University ... More ...

Case against DPR set for hearing JAKARTA (JP): The civil lawsuit against the House of
Representatives' special committee investigating the Bulog (State
Logistics Agency) and Brunei scandals, which allegedly involves
President Abdurrahman Wahid, is scheduled to be heard beginning
Jan. More ...

Rupiah drops to fresh low at year-end JAKARTA (JP): Bank Indonesia announced on Friday its year-end
buy/sell rate of the rupiah against the U.S. dollar at Rp
9,095/10,095 as the local unit dropped to a fresh low of Rp 9,575
in offshore markets. More ...

PDP leaders move to Abepura penitentiary JAYAPURA, Irian Jaya (JP): After about one month under Irian
Jaya police custody, five proindependence leaders of the Papuan
Presidium Council (PDP) were moved from the Jayapura Police cell
to the Abepura penitentiary on Friday. More ...

Another sad year As Indonesians bid the old year farewell and stand ready to
greet the new, it is more than distressing to note that the first
year of the new millennium has proved little better, if any at
all, than those preceding it. More ...

Indonesian sports alerted to sponsorship potentialBy Primastuti Handayani JAKARTA (JP): The success of Indonesian shuttlers in retaining
the Olympic Games gold medal and women weightlifters in bringing
additional medals home now has a different meaning. More ...

Abdurrahman and Megawati, Indonesia's dynamic duoBy Kornelius Purba JAKARTA (JP): Rarely, in any country in the world, will you
find the two top state executives as complex and yet congenial as
Abdurrahman Wahid and Megawati Soekarnoputri. More ...

City attempts to curb migrants JAKARTA (JP): In a desperate attempt to curb new migrants to
Jakarta the city administration is repeating earlier practices of
trying to send back relatives and friends accompanying Jakartans
returning from the holidays. More ...

Reforms in Jakarta means license to killBy Joko E.H. Anwar JAKARTA (JP): The capital this year witnessed a growing number
of people, including those who call themselves well-educated, who
were willing or even keen to beat, torture and burn other human
beings to death. More ...